Exercise MAYAN WARRIOR By Lance Corporal Lucy Chatton


In my third year of attachment to 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment, I deployed on Exercise MAYAN WARRIOR, Belize with C Company.


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PARA deployed to Belize for 6 weeks. The exercise was split down into four phases over a thirty-day period. These phases were routine patrols, camp attacks, live firing and the final exercise. This was to test the Company’s capability to soldier in the arduous jungle environment.


The weather in Belize was very warm and humid. The first few days we spent in Price Barracks it didn’t stop raining, and when it rains it pours there. The first week that we spent in camp we took part in briefs; lessons such as how to put up a hammock and jungle tactics. The company took part in physical training in the mornings to acclimatise to the warm weather.


Arriving in the jungle I was full of excitement but also nerves, I didn’t really know what to expect or how well I was going to perform. I was embedded into 2 Section, 9 Platoon as a rifleman. We started off with an insertion tab to our platoon harbour areas. Our kit was heavy and there had been a heavy downpour of rain before we arrived, so the terrain was very muddy and slippery.


One of the phases was the survival phase. This is where we learnt skills to ensure we would survive if we ever got into that situation. We learnt how to make fires, kill and cook food sources and how to build a sustainable shelter. C Company completed 6 days live firing phase; this was everything from individuals up to Company attack. I learnt a lot and built on my marksmanship skills. Firing in the jungle is very challenging due to very dense vegetation which caused a reduction in visibility.


The final exercise was a weeklong, probably the most challenging but rewarding thing I have done. We tabbed everywhere with all our kit, up steep inclines for hours. The dense environment meant it took around an hour to move 500metres. My soldiering skills improved so much from being in the jungle, it challenged me at every level, and I have definitely come out a better soldier as a result of my experience.


We headed back to Price Barracks, where a few days were spent completing admin duties and then we headed off to San Pedro for three days - the highlight of my time in Belize. The beaches were gorgeous, and it was nice to have some well-earned rest after 30 days of hard graft. Reflecting on my experience, I feel really proud of myself for taking part in the exercises, which pushed me to achieve personal goals including how to put my soldering skills to the best use in a challenging and difficult environment.


AGC JOURNAL 2022 99


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